


Sixty minutes with Detective Dearbon

by Electrickittenshark



Series: So Sue Me! [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, F/F, Journalism, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 23:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14147286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Electrickittenshark/pseuds/Electrickittenshark
Summary: Iris finally gets back into journalism and she has to build her credibility again. She tries to get a major scoop by interviewing and teaming up with, Detective Dearbon, but there may be more than one juicy story in the end.





	Sixty minutes with Detective Dearbon

**Author's Note:**

> As much I enjoy Season 4, I really miss Iris being a journalist. I could really relate to her when she was a young woman trying to break into a tough field and build a career for herself. So I am using this fic to showcase her skills as a journalist.  
> I have noticed in certain parts of the fandom there is a tendency to downplay Iris's skills since some people call her a dumb barista. She is an investigative journalist with a background in Criminal Psychology. She knows basic self-defense and she is a decent marksman. She's not a scientist, but she is smart and skilled in her own way. Iris is a very intuitive woman who has a decent understanding of human nature. 
> 
> In this fic, she uses her social skills and understanding of Sue's core personality to get an interview. She basically charms Sue and slowly melts her walls in order to reveal a more personal story. She gets a chance to use her investigative skills and ability to use a gun to help Sue.

Thanks to Linda’s recommendation, Iris has finally gotten back into journalism by getting a position at CCPN again. Iris is slowly re-establishing her old connections and trying to find new leads. The only issue is that she at the bottom of the career ladder and she needs to write a front page worthy article. It doesn't help that one of the older male writers, Bob, implied that giving Iris her job back is a waste of time because she would just run off to have babies. Everyone at CCPN is trying to get an in-depth one on one with the stubborn vigilant workaholic Detective Dearbon who is hell-bent on cracking down on meta-human trafficking and experimentation. The only problem is that Sue hates the press. She only speaks a couple of sentences at press events and avoids journalists like the plague. The last detective working on saving metas got killed and he didn't have a lot of real success tracking down metas. Sue is a completely different story all together. She managed to recuse three metas and she would only provide the bare minimum details on the cases. However, she is slowly starting to mellow out ever since she started working with Ralph and a lot of stress has finally been taken off her back. 

 

Iris heads to CCPD and thinks, ‘ _Maybe I can get that interview. Maybe she will she listen to me_.’ She greets Joe and enters Sue’s office. 

 **Iris:** Hey Sue— 

 **Sue:** NO. 

 **Iris:** What? I even didn't ask for anything.

 **Sue:** No. I’m not going to do it. I know what you want, because I can see your little recorder. I’m not going to be interviewed by you or anyone else.

Sue didn't want to be interviewed partly because of past bad experiences with the press but mostly because she didn't want Iris to figure out that she was a meta and an empath.

 **Iris:** Okay, hear me out…

 **Sue:** Mrs. West-Allen you have five minutes, because I have to head to Coast City to get a possible lead on a smuggled meta.

 **Iris:** I have connections and sources in Coast City, maybe I can help you out. 

 **Sue** : Okay…

 **Iris:** Listen, the interview doesn't just benefit me or CCPN. It could benefit you too.

 **Sue** : How so?

 

Iris has been watching and researching Sue very carefully. She knows two things about Sue. Firstly, she is a compassionate woman who cares about people's safety and mental health. Secondly, she is a staunch pragmatist who likes to get shit done. Iris tries to appeal to both sides of Sue.

 **Iris:** Look, you could use all of the positive press you can get. The public doesn't have the most positive perception of meta-humans. They think, “Hey metas just get powers, go nuts and robs banks.” Plus, many people miss the good old normal days without metas and aliens. So, I don’t see why they would want their tax-payer dollars going towards saving metas. 

 **Sue:** Go on.

 **Iris:** Think about it, you could get more funding, possible donations, more leads and hell, maybe even more cops will join you. If you can get people emotionally invested in your story and the stories of metas who are being trafficked, more people will support your cause. Look at the end of the day I want to help these metas too. They are innocent people who don't deserve to be used and sold, but having money and public support goes a long way.

 **Sue** : **( _Sighs_ )** Well, Ralph has gone to Star City and I guess I could use those sources. **( _Speaks sternly_ )** **BUT** , I will give you sixty minutes to interview me. That’s it. If I don't want to answer a question, I don't want to answer the question. Your weaseling and manipulation tactics won't work on me, so don't bother with that crap. 

 **Iris:** **( _Iris shakes Sue’s hands_ )** Deal.

Cisco creates a breach and drops both of them off at Coast City. They both grab some coffee and relax at Jitters as Iris sets her timer, turns her recorder on and takes out her list of questions.

 **Iris:** First of all, why do you avoid the press so much?

 **Sue:** No offense, West-Allen, but journalists only want two things: dirt and drama. I wasn’t interested in being clickbait. 

Sue expects Iris to become defensive and lash out at her, which means she doesn't have to reveal that much. So, she is genuinely shocked by Iris’s response.

 **Iris:** You know, what I can see where you’re coming from. You’re from one of the richest families in the world which means you had to deal with the paparazzi a lot. Didn't you?

 **Sue:** Oh god, it was hell. I couldn’t go anywhere without bodyguards. The paparazzi didn't give a crap about my boundaries or my safety. They wanted a scoop and they wouldn't mind dragging my reputation through the mud. 

 **Iris:** Well, I’m not interested in the dirt. I’m interested in getting to know passionate and caring woman willing to go to hell and back to help people. So, tell me how did you become a detective? 

 **Sue:** I actually use to be a therapist before I became a cop.

 **Iris:** Oh. Actually, I studied Criminal Psychology, what did you do?

 **Sue:** I did my Bachelors in Neuroscience and Psychology. Then I went on to get my Masters in Forensics Psychology. **( _Sighs_ )** You know, when I first started out as a cop, I wasn’t taken very seriously. I am a 5’2 tiny hobbit lady with a swishy ponytail who use to talk about people’s feelings, so a lot of my peers thought that I couldn't take risks or fight back. But I’m use to people making dumb assumptions about me. Hell, I know that Bob at CCPN calls me The Wicked Witch of the West because I have harshly turned down so many journalists.

 **Iris:** Just ignore him. I do it all the time. Well, I think you have a very unique skill set. I mean, you can do criminal profiling, trauma counselling, detective work and you can fight pretty well. **_(Smiles charmingly and winks at Sue)_ ** You're a fabulous badass, okay? I love the swishy ponytail look by the way, it really suits you.   

 **Sue: _(Blushes)_ ** Thanks.

 **Iris:** So why meta-human trafficking? Most cops don't want to join the meta-human department.

 **Sue:** Well, Mrs. West-Allen I always believed that everyone deserves the right to have a safe and normal life, that includes metas too. People assume that metas and criminals are inherently evil. But if you actually study criminals you realize that a lot of them are victims themselves. They are victims of abuse, parental neglect and marginalization. Becoming a meta-human is a horrifying, difficult and emotionally turbulent experience. There are so many people that end up lashing out or self-destructing after they realize that they have powers, you know?

 **Iris:** Yeah, I know. So, tell me, what's the hardest part of the job for you?

This is the point where Sue really starts unravelling. She rubs her eyes in frustration and exhaustion. Iris reaches out to her and calmly places her hand over Sue’s. Sue doesn't pull away.

 **Sue:** The hardest part of the job is—watching innocent people suffer. I mean, I don't really care about what happens to me because I have survived a lot of shit in my life, but watching completely innocent people get hurt is the most painful part. That’s what really keeps me up at night.

Iris sympathetically nods her head.

 **Sue:** There is this kid, that Ralph and I helped. His name is Adam Stone and he was young meta who was suicidal. Ralph backed me up and I was able to talk him down. He has been through **_so_** much. His parents died, he suffered from depression and anxiety for most of his life and he got PTSD after being one of Trickster’s hostages. On top of that he gets powers he can't control. I go back to check on any victims that I deal with every few months and he has vanished.

Sue tries to hold back her tears and she takes out a small rainbow colored crystal rose out of her bag.

 **Sue:** He actually made this for me. He can basically create crystals out of thin air. He told me that he didn't want to put on a costume and fight crime. He didn't want to rob banks or take over the world. He used his powers to build sculptures. He could make these beautiful and otherworldly paintings by mixing tiny crystals into the paint. He never asked to be a meta. He never asked to be trafficked! The poor kid just wanted to create things. He just wanted to be happy, go off to college and maybe settle down some day.

Iris’s timer goes off and the interview ends.

 **Sue:** Well, I kept my end of the deal, so now you have to share the lead with me, Iris.  

Iris’s source told her about a meta who could turn invisible, hanging out near the Big Belly Burger in Coast City.

 **Waitress:** Big Belly Burger, may I have your order?

The waitress freezes the moment she spots Iris. She panics when she imagines ending up in the claustrophobic pipeline prison, again.

 **Sue:** Hey, you look like that reporter...what's her name? Linda Park.

Earth 2 Linda Park had just grown her hair out, dyed it dark blue and changed her name to Kimiyo Hoshi, to hide the fact that she is Earth-1 Linda Park’s doppelganger. Iris, knows that Linda is at Central City and this woman looks too damn similar, which means that it's Earth-2 Linda Park. 

 **Iris:** Dr. Light.

 **Earth 2 Linda Park** : Shit! Don’t scream my secret you, dumbass! **( _Whispers_ )** They will hear you!

Dr. Light flees and Iris realizes that Linda is the missing meta who could turn invisible. Sue and Iris chase after her. Sue leaps and rolls over all of the tables and cars along the way, in order to catch up to Dr. Light. Iris uses her gun to shoot close enough to Dr. Light’s foot to scare her. It works since Linda panics and runs into an alleyway. Sue manages to grab and subdue Linda. She handcuffs her and Linda falls to the ground.

 **Earth 2 Linda Park** : I’m just trying to my job. I’ll give you extra BBQ sauce and mustard packets. I'll give you the freshest fries and biggest buns. You know what, I’ll give you a discount! Please don’t hurt me!

 **Sue:** It's okay. Don't worry. You’re safe. Look, we don't need that crap. Just answer my questions, okay? Are you one of the missing metas and what the hell is going on?

 **Earth 2 Linda Park** : Look after I escaped that stupid pipeline, I laid low okay? I stopped robbing banks. I stopped using my powers. I actually got a real job. Then this crazy British Lady with dreadlocks and way too much eyeliner, came out of a Saturday-morning cartoon and kidnapped me. I managed to trick her and escape. But now, I have this stupid leg bracelet and it shuts off my powers.

 **Sue:** You got all of that?

 **Iris:** Yup, I recorded everything.

 **Earth 2 Linda Park** : **( _Cries_ )** I just want to go back home. I miss my family.

Cisco breaches Iris, Sue and Linda back to Central City. Iris recounts what happened and Team Flash decide to send Dr. Light back to Earth 2 with Jesse Quick. By the end of the night, Iris has two juicy stories.

 

**_A few days later…_ **

The editor at CCPN smiles when he reads both of Iris’s stories. He gives the articles the green light for publishing.

 **Bob:** So, you finally managed to crack The Wicked Witch of the West, huh?

 **Iris:** **( _Chuckles_ )** Please, Bob. You're just bitter that you she turned you down for an interview and coffee date. Show a bit more respect, okay? She’s not a witch, she a very sweet and brave woman. 

Iris leaves CCPN to grab coffee with Sue. They chat about all of the weird shit Team Flash has dealt with so far. Poor Iris, desperately tries to explain how the hell Savitar created himself to a very confused Sue. She tells Sue about the time she became a speedster and that one  time she stepped on Ralph when he was shrunk down.

 **Sue** : **( _Giggles_ )** Does Barry reveal his secret identity to every person he meets?

 **Iris:** **( _Chuckles_ )** I’m so happy you pointed that out, because I rolled my eyes when he revealed his identity to one of the bus metas. I love that man, but sometimes he can be a speedy cinnamon roll who places too much faith in people.

 **Sue** : Maybe he does it for convenience from time to time. Like, he just can't wait in line for Big Belly Burger and then he takes his mask off. He’s like, **( _Speaks in an overly serious tone_ )** “I’m the Flash and I need you to trust me because I need a Triple Decker Beef Burger with pickles. Please, innocent people will suffer without the extra mustard and ketchup packets.”

They both end up laughing hysterically and they talk for hours. Sue finally has an inside source within CCPN who could provide her possible leads and Iris has a partner she could practice with at the shooting range. Iris eventually figures out that Sue is a meta and she thinks, ‘ _Don’t worry Sue, I will keep your secret safe. You can tell me when you feel ready and comfortable enough._ ’

 


End file.
